Linger
by CatWoman4Ever
Summary: I couldn't stay away. Her. Only her. My mind was consumed with thoughts of her. My body driven by the need to be close to her. It was as if instinct commanded it and I all too willingly followed. It's KakaSaku with a werewolf twist.


Summary: Something is wrong with Kakashi and he knows it. The appearance of a mysterious, yet familiar, wolf at Sakura's window every full moon has led her to pursue the answers to questions she'd never imagined she'd be asking. One chance discovery will intertwine Kakashi and Sakura's fates and bring them closer than they've ever been before. But as things turn worse for Kakashi, can Sakura save him in time?

This is my first KakaSaku fanfic and I'm excited to see what people think. I've added a werewolf twist to the story and lots of other interesting complications, so hopefully this will be an enjoyable read for those interested! It's told from both Kakashi and Sakura's points-of-view.

Disclaimer: Of course, I own none of the characters as they all belong to the original creator. I'm just having fun putting my own spin on the Naruto world.

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I couldn't stay away.

Her. Only her. My mind was consumed with thoughts of _her_. My body driven by the need to be close to her. It was as if instinct commanded it and I all too willingly followed.

The light of the full moon leaked through the trees where I sat casting ominous shadows on the building before me. Shadows of tree limbs appeared to climb the siding like the claws of monsters that tug on the edges of children's dreams.

A dream.

Was that what this was? I felt as if I was removed from my body. As if I was a foreigner in my own skin. Like I was no longer in control of my own thoughts. Yet at the same time, I had never felt more alive. My senses took in every snap of a branch and every movement in the shadows. The only thing that linked me to the here and now was the pounding of my heart and the roaring of my own blood in my ears.

Yet, I still hoped this was a dream. I just hoped I wasn't going crazy.

She sat in the frame of the window reading a book by the moonlight. Her hand absently pushed a stray strand of bubblegum pink hair from her face. Slowly, she turned the page. My eyes took in the view of her sleepily gazing at her book in a plain oversized white T-shirt. I watched as her eyes darted to the side. She glanced at me as she always did and quickly turned back to the book. How could she not know she was being watched? Any decent shinobi knows when they're being watched. But her glance wasn't out of fear or concern for her own safety. It was a guarded glance. It was as if she feared scaring me away.

Nothing made me happier than her letting me stay and see her.

We maintained a peculiar relationship. One where we both acknowledged each other's presence, but seemed content with the distance between us.

All I was wanted was to protect her. To protect what was mine.

Mine?

Possessiveness overcame me momentarily before I gently shook my head.

Sakura? Mine?

As someone with a very guarded heart, I worked hard to keep people and things at a certain distance so they would be easier to lose. And yet instinct told me she was mine. That I should protect her. That I should let no one else near her.

These feelings and this desire to see and be with Sakura became overwhelming during the full moon. She had grown up to be a beautiful, powerful, and skilled shinobi. I knew this. But on these nights I couldn't control myself. I had to be at her side. Yet I didn't want her to see me. To see what I think I've become, so I stayed hidden in the shadows. I was content with this.

I knew something was wrong with me. I knew I needed help. But I was far too stubborn to seek it out. Besides, this was a...unique problem.

I knew this wasn't a dream. But a part of me still hoped it was. And it was only becoming worse.

I know I need help. But who do I go to? Was it already too late? But at moments like this seeing her was all that mattered. And when I awoke in the morning, disheveled and exhausted, it all seemed like a funny dream.

Who do you go to when you're unsure of what has and hasn't happened?

Suddenly, as I sense the waning of the full moon and feel the morning dew forming all around me, I raced off into the forest, like a four legged blur of gray lightning.

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I knew he'd come like he has been the past few months.

My wolf.

Every full moon cycle he hides in the brush outside of my room and I entertain his presence. The first night I ever noticed him, fear prickled along my spine. It was like a predator was stalking prey. His eyes were a cold gaze that sent goosebumps racing along my skin. Yet, he never moved from his spot in the bushes. Somehow, I realized I wasn't being stalked. Actually, I felt protected. It was like my own furry, four legged guardian. I became curious.

Night after night during the full moon, I'd sit in my window with a book hoping he'd come out from his hiding place. But he never did. It was not like he seemed content in that spot. His eyes held a storm of battling emotions. Fear? Anxiety? Apprehension? Confusion? He had the most human eyes in the world.

The most familiar eyes.

Dark gray eyes that held a familiar twinkle in them.

I spent night after night trying to lure the wolf out by pretending I was harmless and oblivious to his presence. I needed to see him up close.

I needed to know if I was losing my mind.

One look in the eyes of that wolf and all I could think about was Kakashi. No one had eyes like he did and yet this wolf has them. I've never been one to buy into fairy tales of shape shifting humans but with people like Naruto that wandered through life carrying a beast inside of them, could it be possible that Kakashi was carrying one inside of him during the day and becoming it by night?

Crazy. Crazy, crazy, crazy thoughts.

Yet no matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was working too much and not getting enough sleep there was doubt that still buzzed around in my head. Was it really possible?

I had to know. I needed to know.

Perhaps it started out as a crazy idea and vague curiosity, but now I was on a quest to find out. What if, by some extremely off chance, that it was him? What if he needed my help? During the day, Kakashi appeared to be completely fine. He went about his normal routine as if nothing in the world was wrong. I asked him how he was doing and his response was always that he was fine. Was it wrong of me to doubt him?

Was there really something wrong with him or was there something wrong with me?

I pushed that thought to the back of my mind. I knew I'd feel better once I figured out what was going on with this strange wolf that kept appearing. Perhaps I should have called animal control or something. That would have been the sensible thing to do. But curiosity kept me from doing that and now I was on a crazy wolf chase spending my time by daylight critically analyzing everything Kakashi said for any abnormalities.

Maybe I need to ask Tsunade for a day off.

Tonight, I kept to my usual reading routine in the window and I watched my wolf watch me out of the corner of my eye.

Those damn gray eyes. Those stupid, familiar gray eyes.

The moon was starting to wane and I knew my wolf would leave soon. He always did. When he bolted from his spot suddenly, I threw my body into the air and grabbed onto the nearest tree branch. Pulling myself up, I saw what I was afraid to see. I saw what I wanted so badly to deny. I saw the wolf as it made a break for the clearing ahead of me. It flew across the field as if it were a bird gliding gracefully through the sky. I saw the gray fur.

The familiar gray fur with a shade that would have matched _his_ hair perfectly.

After a moment of staring off into the distance, I managed to pull my jaw shut and I returned to the window leading into my room. As the sun readied to rise in the sky, the shadows of the trees took on a gentle, curvy shape like bendy straws that kids liked to drink from.

I knelt down to pick up my book which was sadly cast into the dirt as I raced up to see the wolf. I shook my head as I brushed off the title page of my current reading: White Fang.

Oh, the irony.

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I'd appreciate any reviews to let me know what people think of the story so far! I hope it has piqued someone's interest!

For those who may not be familiar with the book I referenced, White Fang, it is a novel by Jack London about a wild wolfdog. It can also be seen as a clever play on Kakashi, who is the son of the White Fang, and happens to be having werewolf problems.


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